Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu has defended his master plan to establish an internal unit aimed at monitoring infrastructure projects from his office.
This comes after opposition parties cautioned that the Project Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Unit in the Office of the Premier (OTP) could be used to centralise power.
They warn that the move could undermine service delivery while side-lining MECs responsible for overseeing projects.
New unit may centralise power, undermine MECs
Former Scopa chairperson and APC leader Themba Godi has strongly condemned the decision.
“The decision to centralise project planning, monitoring, and evaluation in the Premier’s office is puzzling and worrisome,” he said.
He questioned whether Ndlovu believed his MECs were incompetent or beyond redemption.
“Is the premier suggesting that his MECs and their officials are too corrupt and inept beyond redemption?” he asked.
Godi accused Ndlovu of creating a structure that could shield corruption.
May also be used to shield corruption
“Understanding the dynamics of Mpumalanga, its history, and the characters at play, I worry that centralisation can hide corruption rather than inhibit it,” he warned.
DA provincial caucus leader Bosman Grobler warned against repeating the failures of a similar unit under former Premier David Mabuza.
“There are two sides of the coin,” he said. “It could be good, as it’s been done before with the Rapid Implementation Unit (RIU). The RIU was meant to accelerate infrastructure development.
“However, that initiative failed to meet expectations. And we still have outstanding projects that have dragged on for years.”
Premier asks for understanding
Ndlovu has responded to the criticism, accusing his detractors of having a lack of understanding.
“The Auditor-General raised concerns about the slow movement, implementation, and delivery of infrastructure projects,” he said.
He denied allegations that he was stripping MECs of their responsibilities.
“Departmental mandates will not be interrupted,” Ndlovu insisted.
He explained that the new unit is designed to improve project oversight.
“We committed ourselves to the Auditor-General that we will play our role through the establishment of this unit,” he said.
Commitment to the AG
Ndlovu said the unit will track project implementation and ensure timely delivery. It will also identify bottlenecks that cause delays and drive up costs.
He added that it would enhance transparency and accountability in infrastructure development.
Mabuza’s RIU was abandoned when his successor, Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, took office in 2018.
Although created to accelerate infrastructure projects, it was later disbanded for vague reasons. The establishment of the new unit required a tender process, which officially closed on Friday.
